IIHS Names 2011 Infiniti EX35 SUV as a Top Safety Pick

The Infiniti EX35 is back on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's list of Top Safety Picks in the midsize SUV category. The EX was absent from last year's list when it failed to meet the Institute?s added standards for rollover safety and testing.

Infiniti reinforced the roof of the 2011 EX, which helped it earn a "Good" rating for rollover crash performance -- the Institute's highest mark for that test. The IIHS tests for roof strength by pressing a metal plate against one corner of a vehicle until five inches of crush is achieved. The roof must withstand pressure of up to four times its curb weight. The EX also earned "Good" ratings in the frontal offset, side impact, rear crash protection and head restraint tests. Electronic stability control comes standard in the EX, which is another requirement for Top Safety Pick awards.

Other standard safety equipment found in the 2011 EX35 include front, side, and curtain airbags, a LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) system, Vehicle Dynamic Control and a tire pressure monitoring system.

And for added piece of mind, customers have the option of tacking on a plethora of active safety features including Intelligent Cruise Control, Distance Control Assist, Intelligent Brake Assist, a Lane Departure Prevention System, and a blind spot warning system.

The EX35 first joined the Infiniti line up in 2008 and earned the IIHS' Top Safety Pick Award every year except 2010. It now joins a long list of Top Safety Pick competitors including the Audi Q5, Lexus RX, Mercedes-Benz GLK, Toyota Venza and Volvo XC60.